BET Scores a Winning Touchdown with 'Next Level: Vince Young' Premiering Wednesday, October 4 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT

BET Scores a Winning Touchdown with 'Next Level: Vince Young' Premiering Wednesday, October 4 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT

New Docu-Drama Starring Two-Time Rose Bowl MVP and Tennessee Titan Rookie Quarterback Captures Young's Transition to the 'Big Leagues'

LOS ANGELES, Sept 14 /PRNewswire/ -- NFL rookie sensation Vince Young will make his television series debut on BET with NEXT LEVEL: VINCE YOUNG, premiering Wednesday, October 4 at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT. In this six-part docu- reality sports series, viewers get a first-hand look at Young's successful transition from being a two-time Rose Bowl MVP to becoming the #3 draft pick and first quarterback selected in the 2006 NFL Draft. Vince is a hero on and off the field, but he's about to enter the most stressed-filled opportunity in his life.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060914/NYTH078A )
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060926/NYTH078C )

At the core of Vince's world is a strong support system that includes his mother Felicia, two grandmothers Bonnie King and Betty Young, his sisters LaKeisha and Vintrisha, his uncle Keith, his lifelong buddies AP and Brian, his agent Major Adams and his marketing manager Mike Mu. With cameras capturing the anticipation of the looming draft, Vince's cool and relaxed demeanor seems to keep everyone around him calm. But on the inside, this young man is about to experience a life-altering phenomena that little boys playing tag football only dream of ... fame, fortune, and becoming a force to be reckoned with in the world of professional football.

"With BET documenting numerous events in my personal and sports life from childhood to manhood, high school to college and college to the NFL, I'll hopefully inspire kids and adults to listen to their heart and not only go after, but achieve their dreams," said Young. He also added that one of the most important lessons he hopes to impart with the show is "not being afraid of the challenges life may bring and taking them head on."

The first 30-minute episode offers an introduction to Vince Young. Shot from his hometown of Houston, Texas, Young gives a personal account of his childhood, his family, and his career. Vince also shares, for the first time, his thoughts on not winning the Heisman Trophy and how it further propelled him to fight for the Rose Bowl Championship. We'll hear about the potential Vince's high school coach recognized early on, meet the family members who recall when Vince was just a skinny kid with speed, and hear from University of Texas coach Mack Brown. In the end, it's Vince's family, friends, and church that keep this 22-year-old athlete grounded and constantly striving for the best in life.

The series is packed with intimate moments and energetic football action. So whether or not you're a football fan or have an allegiance to another college team, NEXT LEVEL: VINCE YOUNG is a captivating glimpse into the world of a sincere, charitable, and talented young man ready to score. BET is betting the series will spawn a new legion of Vince Young fans.

Few college athletes have captured the nation's attention the way quarterback Vince Young did at the University of Texas at Austin. His performance on the grandest of stages -- a dazzling 2006 Rose Bowl upset to win the National Championship -- elevated him to legendary status. After leading Texas to its first national title in 35 years, Young elected to forego his senior year and entered the 2006 NFL Draft. He was selected by the Tennessee Titans as their highest pick in the draft since 1995, when Young's mentor Steve McNair was chosen with the third pick by the Oilers.

Announced in May 2006, NEXT LEVEL: VINCE YOUNG is the first installment of the NEXT LEVEL docu-reality sports franchise delving into the lives of athletes in transition. Whether following rookies moving from college to the pros, highly-recruited high school stars entering college, or former All-Pros attempting comebacks, BET's NEXT LEVEL cameras will capture what it's like to master the spotlight, negotiate through the barrage of sponsorship opportunities and deal with the emotional draw of new money, new fame and new friends. This series will showcase what it truly means to be a star on and off the field.

Brendon J. Carter of Bright Creations, Inc. is executive producer of this BET series. Carter's experience spans network and cable series including The Osbornes, Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, Super Agent, Invasion Iowa, and Search for the Funniest Mom in America 2.

NEXT LEVEL was shot in Houston and Austin, Texas; New York, NY; and Nashville, Tennessee.

ABOUT BET

BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom, Inc. (NYSE:VIA)(NYSE:and)(NYSE:VIA.B), is the nation's leading provider of quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs television programming for the African-American audience. The primary BET channel reaches more than 83 million households according to Nielsen media research, and can be seen in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. BET is the dominant African-American consumer brand with a diverse group of businesses extensions: BET.com, the Number 1 Internet portal for African Americans; BET Digital Networks -- BET J, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Event Productions, a full-scale event management and production company; BET Home Entertainment, a collection of BET-branded offerings for the home environment including DVDs and video-on-demand; and BET Mobile, a service venture into the lucrative world of ring tones, games and video content for wireless devices.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060914/NYTH078A
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20060926/NYTH078C
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com
Source: BET Networks

CONTACT: Tosha Whitten-Griggs of BET, +1-818-972-3312,
Tosha.Whitten-Griggs@BET.net, or Carrie Simons of B|W|R Public Relations,
+1-310-248-6104, csimons@bwr-la.com

Web site: http://www.bet.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: Screeners and b-roll are available upon request; contact Carrie Simons, BWR Public Relations at +1-310-248-6104 or Zabrina Horton, BET Corporate Communications at +1-818-972-3337 zabrina.horton@bet.net. Downloadable images and logos are available at our PR website, http://www.bet.com/pr.

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